Mine for a Short Time
by TheRoyalAddict
Summary: The Janny baby. What could possibly go wrong? DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ ANY SPOILERS FOR THE SHOW! Read & Review- if you'd be so kind.
1. Chapter 1

'_There's no easy way to say this but I'm afraid your baby has a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia'_ announced Mr T, barely wanting to drop the bombshell. The room had instantly fallen silent with no one wanting to utter a word.

Jac had sat speechless; only too aware of the mortality rate of any unborn child with the condition. Jonny on the hand was a little more in the dark about the situation they found themselves in. He sat beside Jac holding onto her left hand tightly studying each person's face searching for answers.

'_So... so what does that mean?'_ he stuttered.

'_You know what it means Jonny. We both know what it means!_' shouted his ex partner.

'_I know what it means, but what does it mean for our child?'_

'_Jonny it means...it means your child only has a 50% of surviving birth'_ explained Mr T solemnly

'_50%? Surely there's something you can do. You're Doctor's, there's always something you can do' _the Scottish man argued.

'_There's not I'm sorry, not until the baby's born that is. Once it's born there's a whole range of things we can do but until then all we can do is pray.'_

'_And what are our other options?' _forced Naylor, glaring at her obstetrician

The long silence was then broken as he outlined their only other option _'A termination'_


	2. Chapter 2

That was four months ago. Both of them had argued for hours about what they should do. For a second Jac had contemplated a termination but for some reason she knew it would have been wrong. How could she deny her child a life? No matter what the end result was. The child growing inside of her deserved to live and deserved a place in the world. Unlike her own upbringing she wanted to do everything she could for the baby she was slowly learning to call her own.

Jonny agreed of course. The baby was the last link between Jac and himself. Without it they were just two people who worked together. But more than that, he loved the child more than he thought possible. For him a termination was never an option.

So they went through with it; the pregnancy that was. It went as smoothly as could be expected. It involved regular weekly check-ups and scans. The parents were almost too scared to breathe in case something went wrong. In case everything was snatched away from them.

But they did allow themselves a small piece of excitement. Underneath it all they bubbled with happiness each week after they passed another scan successfully. They were only too aware that the closer they managed to get to their due date, the better chance the baby had of surviving.

During those four months Naylor and Maconie had pulled together to help one another. Jac had eventually let the man she loved so much into her life, excepting she needed him more than anything else. With Mo and Sacha as witnesses and with Elliot to walk the Consultant down the aisle they were quick to seal their love. There was an unspoken desperation to marry whilst their child still existed. So they could look back in years to come and acknowledge their baby had been with them on their special day, regardless of what the future held.


	3. Chapter 3

The former cold hearted Consultant gave birth in the most clinical of ways. Whilst her uterus and womb were cut open she stayed awake unable to feel a thing. Her now husband Jonny sat beside her holding her hand and uttering words of needless encouragement.

'_We'll get our first wee glance of our baby girl soon darling' _he whispered with any sign of fright well hidden from his deep voice. All his wife could do was give a small but meaningful smile back. Her fiery hair lay on the white sheets underneath her with her face the usual contrast of white.

There was no question about it. Jac Naylor liked to be in control of her life and her surroundings. This one particular life event gave her no control at all. It was the one thing within her reach that she had no decision or choice over. For any woman that was hard; for Jac it was almost impossible.

With a little tugging and careful manoeuvring their premature baby daughter was born. The usual wails of a newborn child straight after birth were missing from the theatre. Instead a team of specially qualified paediatric Doctors hurried around the bed hooking the tiny infant up to numerous machines.

'_Don't be alarmed. Like we discussed your daughter is being ventilated to help her breathe and then she'll be taken down to special care unit' _explained Mr Thomson, trying in some way to put his patient at ease.

'_Go with her Jonny, please'_ begged Naylor

'_You sure?...Okay'_ he tentatively kissed his wife's head and then followed the dozen of medical Doctors out the room, in his sterile blue scrubs. Jac stayed on the bed whilst she was closed up; all the time her mind distracted by her daughter's arrival. She hadn't even caught a glimpse of her flesh and blood. The woman who had previously never wanted children now found herself praying their baby would be alright.


	4. Chapter 4

They'd got her settled in the Special Care Unit. Her fragile body lay still in the safe encasing of the incubator. With each breathe her tiny chest rose and fell again, aided completely by the ventilation system that had taken control of her breathing. Jonny sat beside his newborn daughter's side, taking in every detail of her being.

'_Hey there little one, it's your daddy here. Boy have I been looking forward to meeting you...Mummy will come and visit you as soon as she can I promise. You just keep fighting my wee fighter' _The new dad's heart had been totally captured by the tiny human that lay in front of him.

After what seemed like a blink of an eye but was more like an hour Jonny managed to tear himself away from the incubator back to his wife's side. She was sat upright when he entered the side room, searching for answers in her husband's eyes.

'_How is she? Is she alright?'_

'_She's fine darling' _Jonny uttered as he planted a kiss on his wife's cheek _'I'm really proud of you' _Without being asked he took out his phone and showed Jac a picture of their child. _'She's got your red hair but definitely my looks' _he joked

'_She's tiny J... but oh so beautiful' _

'_Three pounds and half an ounce, but she's a fighter like her mum' _

'_Promise me she'll be alright?' _urged the tearful woman to which her husband fell silent, knowing he couldn't make such an unsure promise to the woman he loved so much.


	5. Chapter 5

The paediatric nurse placed the small bundle, swaddled in a white blanket, down the Consultants shirt. Looking past the numerous wires and the ventilation machine enabling the baby to breathe, she was perfect.

'_Hello there beautiful' _whispered Jac tearfully into her daughter's ear. It was the first chance the new mother had had to hold her daughter and it was a moment she would never forget. Jonny, a proud father, stood opposite taking far too many photos on their camera to capture the moment; a sense of pride smothered his face.

For a brief second the infant opened her eyes and locked a glance with her mother. For Jac it was a positive move forward. In the days following her birth she'd lay unresponsive inside her incubator, each second an achievement in life itself.

'_You need a name don't you?' _suggested the woman

'_A name?' _questioned Jonny taken a back

'_We can't refer to her as 'baby' forever can we? No, she needs a name. That's the least she deserves, right?'_

'_Right...any ideas sweetheart?' _bracing himself for what was about to come

'_I was thinking Sophie...'_

'_Sophie?'_

'_Sophie Maconie'_

'_Maconie!? I love it...I think Sophie suits you perfectly doesn't it darling' _beamed the father acknowledging his daughter with her name. _'Yes; Jonny, Jac and Sophie Maconie has a certain ring to it. I like it'_

'_And so does Sophie by the looks of it' _smiled Jac and Sophie grabbed hold of her mother's hair, clinging on with all she had. Jonny placed a soft kiss on his wife's head. Finally it seemed he'd found her heart.


	6. Chapter 6

The once cold hearted woman had changed, forever. Her husband, with his charismatic charm, had softened her hard exterior. The arrival of their daughter had captured a part of Jac's soul that she never knew existed.

As with everyday Jac walked into the Special Care Unit and made her way over the incubator furthest away from the door. She placed herself delicately into the waiting high-backed hospital armchair.

'_Hello there ...it's mummy. Just mummy this morning, daddy will be here later on after he's finished work.'_ Naylor slipped her painfully thin hand through the small flap and placed it on her baby's back as if to comfort the child _'Your dad and I can't wait to be able to take you home Soph; to be able to look after you alone and feed you during the night. It won't be long now, I promise' _her words meant nothing though. She couldn't really promise such a thing. As a Doctor she knew the prognosis wasn't brilliant. Sophie had made it through birth and defined the fifty percent odds, but her lung capacity was awful. Her lungs were still being controlled through ventilation. In the last week alone they had attempted to let the small human breathe for herself, all to no avail.


	7. Chapter 7

Jonny parked his old blue battered Volkswagen Golf on the gravelled drive way, next to the space where Jac usually parked their other much newer car. He stepped out of the car and slammed the door behind him before walking over the stones to the front door. The fully grown man slotted the key in the oak front door and twisted it, pushing it open.

He found himself in the silence of their large entrance hall. It felt good to be home, alone- for once.

'_Jac?' _He called out pointlessly. He knew where she'd be; at the hospital with their daughter. Chucking his keys on the small glass table Maconie made his way up the first flight of stairs into their bedroom and there after the en-suite. Desperate for a warm shower before he returned back to his work place to be with his family.

The house was a step up from what the married couple had both previously been used to. Jonny had sold his small flat and Jac had sold her large apartment. Together they had bought a family home not far from work. It had everything they'd ever need. It had a large entrance hall, kitchen, dining room, living room, four bedrooms and three bathrooms as well as a double garage and large garden. All of it matched up to Jac's reputation; minimalistic and slick. For Jonny is had everything he'd ever dreamed of.

The bedroom next door to their own had been painstakingly decorated as a nursery. The proud father had spent hours getting everything just right. The name 'Sophie Maconie' had been written on the wall in a fancy font. A cot lay in the centre of the cream carpet; the pink walls adding a simple splash of colour.

Who'd have thought it? Jac Naylor settled down with a man so different it was laughable. All they needed now was their daughter... and a dog of course.


	8. Chapter 8

Jonny had rushed to the Special Care Unit after a teary phone call from his wife. He hadn't stopped to be excused from work, instead he'd run faster than he could ever remember. The nurse had skidded along the corridor and shoved through the door; urgently buzzing to be let into the ward.

'_It's over Jonny!_' Jac had cried incoherently at the sight of her man.

'_What's all over darling?'_ he repeated over and over again, unable to get another word out of his lady. A paediatric nurse stood beside the Consultant, gently handing over their daughter who was still hooked up to the ventilator.

'_There's nothing more we can do Jonny. I'm so very sorry but she's not going to make it.'_ Explained Mr T gently

'_What do you mean she's not going to make it? You told us she was. How can she not make it? She's our daughter!'_ he shouted

'_Her lungs have failed to develop correctly. It's pointless trying anything else. Whatever we do will be no use. You must understand'_

'_She's_ _suffering Jonny. We can't put her through anymore; surely you can see that?_' babbled the mother hysterically

'_But she's our daughter Jac; she's our Sophie'_ he begged, kneeling beside the chair with tears rolling down his cheeks

A short time later

After the use of minimal words the couple agreed, it was over. Their daughter had fought for a long and hard two months but now it was over. Jac sat in the all too familiar high backed hospital chair cradling her daughter; Jonny sat on the arm holding his wife and daughter tightly trying not to cry.

Mr Thompson stood discreetly in the corner next to the ventilator machine. Quietly he turned it off as the parents spoke to their daughter. Usually a nurse would do it but it was the least he could do. Nyalor was well known around the hospital, and he knew more than anyone that she deserved what was about to happen least.

'_Mummy and Daddy love you lots darling; never forget that. And we'll never forget you, we promise' _whispered Jonny cupping his daughters head. Her chest continued to rise and fall indicating the fight within her.

'_Daddy's right. You'll always be our Sophie Maconie. Our special baby girl-'_

'_Too precious for this world' _added the male Nurse as he began to break down

Sophie's chest rose once more and then collapsed for a final time before she went still in her parents arms. That last action broke her parents. It was all over. The short life of Sophie Maconie had ended. The once ice-queen showed more emotion than anyone had ever dreamt possible.


	9. Chapter 9

Hours later a brief phone call to his dear friend Mo confirmed their closest friend's worst nightmare. Sophie had died. It was down to Mo to break the news to everyone, saving the married couple from anymore heartbreak. Calmly she organised a meeting on Darwin with their colleagues; only a few were invited- Sacha, Michael, Ric, Selena, Henrik, Elliot, Chantelle, Chrissie...

'_What's going on Mo? What's with all the cloak and dagger?' _Joked Sacha, unaware of the earth shattering news they were about to receive.

'_I've just had a phone call off Jonny... I hate to have to break this to you but Sophie died a few hours ago' _explained Mo, trying to compose herself. There was no need for any other words off anyone else. There was nothing any of them could say to soften the blow of the loss.

Each of them had spent a substantial amount of time with the girl during her short life; some more than others. Mo and Sacha had divided time between the two of them to always make sure Sophie had someone with her. The rest had picked odd moments to check on her condition; even Hanssen had played a part in her life.

Their beings ached with the horrific news; more so for the parents than anyone else.

'_How are they coping?' _Boomed Hanssen, a look of sorrow colouring his eyes

'_As well as can be expected I guess. Shattered by the news I imagine' _sobbed Mo.

They couldn't help but look back at how much Jac had changed since the arrival of their daughter. They'd all seen a new side to her; one full of emotion, compassion and love. In a heartbeat an innocent life had changed so many people's lives and now she was gone.

Elsewhere 

The following hours had passed quietly with Jonny leaving for a brief moment to make a phone call. Jac and Jonny sat in the same position cradling their daughter as her body cooled down and went rigid. She looked more peaceful now than either of them could ever recall. Their beautiful daughter was no longer fighting to survive.

Strangely, maybe, they had one last family photo to treasure. Although the child in their arms was no longer alive she would always be with them. They knew it would be the only photo in which their daughter wasn't hooked up to machines. It signalled the end of a tough eight weeks. The end of a life. The start of a childless family.


	10. Chapter 10

The church was virtually empty on that particular Wednesday morning. How could you expect people to turn up to a funeral of a baby they'd never met or spent time with? For some it was a pointless exercise, for others it was just as important as any other funeral.

Jac and Jonny led the mourners behind the vicar. Jonny dressed in a smart black suit, white shirt and black tie carried the tiny white coffin which held their daughter. Jac hung onto her husband's arm, dressed in a black dress and long coat. The limited mourners walked slowly behind them; friends, colleagues...The couple had wanted to keep the gathering as small as possible. It was stupid to hold a full funeral for a life barely lived.

'_Today we're here to celebrate the life of baby Sophie Maconie' _spoke the vicar as the gathering took their seats. The rest of his words passed in a blur as he carried out his formalities. Then as instructed a proud but grieving Jonny stood up to speak to his friends.

'_Hi...' _he solemnly greeted them, his face clearly tear stained _'So, at a funeral you're meant to celebrate a life right? How can we celebrate a life that lasted a mere two months? Me and Jac can try and celebrate the absolute joy she bought to us each and every day, but really we'll miss her tremendously. _

_You all know we were given the devastating news that she only had a 50% chance of survival. Most would have terminated there and then but we had to give her a chance. We've had the most wonderful eight weeks of our lives being parents to our miracle. She was there on our wedding day, just as she will be for the rest of our lives... Sleep tight darling Sophie. Mummy n Daddy will always love you sweetheart'_

He rushed back to his wife before they broke down together. The Service continued for a while after, no one really listening to the needless words of the Vicar. Then afterwards they followed Jonny outside to her final resting place. The minuscule grave just big enough to fit the tiny coffin. The place where she would lie forever more. Sophie. Maconie. Dead.


End file.
